- Hon Chris Penk
Significant action by the Government this week will make building in New Zealand easier by unclogging the consenting system, reducing construction costs, and giving tradies the support they need to get on with the job, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.
"Tradies are bogged down in paperwork instead of doing what they do best. Building materials cost too much, and securing land for roads, housing developments, and hospitals takes far too long.
"Kiwis are fed up - and rightly so. We've listened to frustrated builders, first-home buyers, and families calling out for concrete change, and we're acting.
"This week, we announced the final stage of reforms to the Public Works Act to make the process of purchasing land for much-needed public projects clearer, faster and fairer.
"Negotiations sometimes take years. We're putting incentive payments of up to $100,000 on the table for landowners who agree to sell early. That means fewer drawn-out legal battles and costly delays.
"We're also stripping back needless red tape in the consenting system and taking our granny flat proposal further - lifting the maximum permitted size of granny flats that can be built without consent from 60 to 70 square metres, so more families can build without jumping through hoops.
"These changes are expected to see 13,000 more granny flats built over the next decade - giving families more affordable, flexible housing options.
"We're also backing our skilled builders by cracking down on the cowboys. Stronger disciplinary powers, new waterproofing licences for wet area bathrooms, and a better complaints process will lift trust in the industry and help protect Kiwis' biggest investment - their homes.
"Building new homes and granny flats and doing renovations will also become more affordable - thanks to new legislation passed this week, that will make it easier for builders and designers to use top-quality products from overseas.
"We expect up to 250,000 more building products-like plasterboard, insulation, and cladding-to become available this year alone through the streamlined Building Product Specifications pathway.
"This week's announcements are just the start. There's more to come as we get on with fixing the consenting system and making it easier to put a roof over every Kiwi's head."
